


we can light a fire to warm our bones

by princesslezly



Category: Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princesslezly/pseuds/princesslezly
Summary: Lucy visits Ryan at boarding school to break up with him but instead they talk.Spoilers for 1x16.
Relationships: Ryan Hudson/Lucy Sable
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	we can light a fire to warm our bones

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe the first fic I ever write is about a ghost. I wrote this in about a day because I can't get over how much I love Lucy. She deserved better. 
> 
> According to her journal, Lucy was experiencing pregnancy symptoms as early as March 2000. Everett found out about Lucy and Ryan in spring 2000 and tried to force to Lucy to break up with Ryan but she refused. He made her life hell until she did break up with Ryan. She died Aug 31, 2000. That's what we know in canon. This is set around early June 2000 I guess. We do not know when Everett learned Lucy was pregnant but in this fic he doesn't know yet as far as Lucy is aware.
> 
> Title from Let Me Love the Lonely - James Arthur.

“We can’t be together anymore.” The words taste bitter in her mouth but Lucy forces them out before Ryan can kiss her in greeting. If he kisses her, she’s scared any courage she has will evaporate with the taste of his lips. She has to do this.

Ryan halts, taking a startled step back. After weeks without seeing him, she desperately wants to take his hands and pull him closer but holds her arms firmly at her side.

“What do you mean we can’t be together? Lucy, what’s wrong?” The confusion is clear in his expression. It’s his dumb rich boy face, as she jokingly calls it. He’s not though. He’s clever and smart and sweet and she loves him. Loves him even though she shouldn’t.

“We can’t be together anymore.” The words are not any easier to get out the second time. “We’re over.”

That should be it. She should turn around, walk away and head back to Horseshoe Bay. Except she’s caught staring into his blue eyes, which feel more like home than a small town filled with people who call her a slut and a whore to her face and behind her back.

“Ok,” Ryan nods slowly, keeping his eyes locked on hers. “You’re breaking up with me.”

Now she’s confused by his nonchalance. Maybe the Hudson’s were right. Maybe he never loved her. She was just a distraction. A townie he could easily seduce. A slut and a whore like everyone says.

“Then tell me you don’t love me,” he says.

“What?”

“Tell me you don’t love me,” he repeats. “Tell me why we can’t be together. Give me one good reason.”

She’s quickly losing control of the conversation. She came here to end this, to break her own heart in the hopes that she could spare him and her family. She has to leave soon before he traps her with his smile, his charm and his declarations of love.

 _Tell him you don’t love him,_ Everett Hudson had threatened her months ago. She had refused at the time and now here she is. Her life is ruined, and she refuses to drag Ryan down with her. But the words are stuck in her throat and her eyes are flooding with tears. When she decided to meet Ryan outside of his boarding school, she knew it wouldn’t be easy but nothing could have prepared her for this unbearable pain.

“You can’t, can you, Luce?” He takes a step forward, his arm reaching out to touch her, but she backs away from him.

“Don’t.” Her voice sounds watery even to her ears so she clears her throat. “Don’t call me that. Don’t touch me. This is already hard enough.”

“Why?” he persists, taking a step forward to close the distance between them and hold her hands in his. She lacks the strength to reject his touch this time. “Lucy, tell me what’s going. What’s wrong?”

“I can’t,” she admits quietly, “I can’t tell you.”

Tears are rolling down her cheeks now and when he gently rubs his thumb across her hand, she starts sobbing. He pulls her into his arms, hugging her tight, and she collapses into him and lets her tears soak into his polo shirt.

When she feels like she has cried until she can’t anymore, he pulls back slightly so their eyes meet.

“You’re wearing my t-shirt,” he says with a smile, pinching the soft and worn fabric between his fingers. She can’t help but smile back until she remembers why lately she has been wearing his shirts and any loose-fitting clothing she can find.

No one can know. She did not come here to tell him. She _can’t_ tell him. She has already ruined her life, she can’t ruin his.

Sensing that he won’t be able to distract her from whatever has made her so upset, Ryan tries again.

“Lucy, please, tell me what’s going.” He rubs his hand up and down her arm in a comforting and familiar gesture.

She is suddenly and overwhelmingly exhausted - exhausted of being afraid, of being degraded, of being threatened, of keeping secrets.

“I’m pregnant,” she says the words aloud for the first time since she found out.

She closes her eyes and leans into Ryan, anxious about how he will react but reassured by his presence.

He silently processes this for a minute and then asks, “How long have you know?”

“About seven weeks.” She looks up at him, his eyes fixed on her.

“Were you scared to tell me?” The thought of his Lucy being afraid of him is painful. “Luce, I love you. I would never hurt you.”

“I know that - I just. I was so scared. We’re seventeen. We can’t raise a baby, Ryan. And then your dad -” She bites her tongue, knowing she has said too much.

“My dad? Lucy, what did my dad do?” he asks, tense with anger she knows is directed at his family.

“He threatened me. Tried to force me to break up with you months ago.”

“He found out you’re pregnant?”

“No. I don’t know.” The thought fills her with fear. The Hudson’s would hurt her baby if they knew. “Your parents hate me. They’ll do anything to keep us apart. They’ve been threatening me for months, since they found out about us. Everyone thinks I’ve slept around. My mom lost her job. I lost my scholarships.”

“That’s why you came to break up with me.”

She nods, strawberry blonde hair falling in front of her eyes. He tucks the strands behind her ears, his touch making her shiver.

“Were you not going to tell me then? About the baby?” He sounds upset at the idea.

“I couldn’t,” she stresses, trying to get him to understand her fear and desperation. “I haven’t told anyone. What will my mom say? I’m already the town slut. I can’t do this, Ryan, I can’t. We’re too young.”

“Do you want to get an abortion then? I’ll go with you, I’ll get the money. If that’s what you want.” His sincerity is calming but she feels just as clueless as he does. 

“I’m not sure, I haven’t gone to a doctor, but I think it’s too late for that.” Despite knowing they’re alone, she still glances around to make sure before placing his hand on her rounded stomach. His fingers spread over the curve of her soft belly in awe. “Five or six months, I think.”

“New Year’s?” he laughs.

“Shut up,” she smacks his arm, laughing as warmth rises to her cheeks. He pulls her into a hug and she presses her face into his neck, breathing in his scent.

“We’re going to be ok,” he says into her hair. “We’ll figure it out. I’ll protect you both, I promise.” She wants to believe him, she does, but her fears and worries linger.

She yawns, realizing how late it is when she glances at the expensive watch on his wrist. “Shit! I need to get home.”

“I can sneak you into my dorm, kick Chad out,” he offers. “You can borrow his cell phone to call your mom, so she doesn’t worry.”

It’s been a long, emotional day and she wants nothing more than to fall asleep next to him, so she agrees. “Ok,” she smiles, leaning up to kiss him for the first time that night.

* * *

Lucy wakes up the next morning to Ryan lightly caressing the bare skin of her rounded stomach under her t-shirt.

“Morning,” she yawns, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. He hums in response, continuing to stroke her skin. They relax into a comfortable silence, enjoying the rare opportunity to simply be together.

“I love you,” he eventually says, looking up at the ceiling. “I need you to know that I love you so, so much. All I want is to protect you and make you happy.”

She knows vulnerability does not come easy to him, having been raised by such cold and cruel people. He only allows himself to be open with her and last night was a lot to take in, so she simply presses a kiss to his neck and waits for him to continue.

“You’re all about I care about,” he pauses, “you and now this baby. I can’t lose you. I know this is crazy – I was up all night thinking about how crazy this is – but we can do this. We can be a family; we can be happy together.”

She sits up, gazing down at his tired face. He looks older, more serious and earnest than she’s ever seen him.

“I love you,” she whispers, reluctant to break their soft, hazy morning bubble. “I love you but we can’t -”

He interrupts her, pressing a quick, soft kiss to her lips. “Let’s run away. We can raise our baby somewhere safe, far from my family.”

“How, Ryan? Where would we go? With what money? Your parents wouldn’t allow it, they’d cut you off.”

“We don’t need their money. My grandmother left me a small inheritance that’s mine once I turn eighteen in a couple of months. It’s not much, but it’s something. We can go anywhere you want. Somewhere no one can find us. I’ll get a job; you can finish school and go to college. I swear we’ll figure it out. I’m going to fight for us and our baby.”

Yesterday, Lucy was certain her life was over. Yet in this moment, she is overwhelmed by love for Ryan and their baby growing in her womb. For the first time in months, she feels hopeful about the future.

“I’m going to fight for us too,” she promises.

**Author's Note:**

> They either make it somewhere safe with the help of the Drews and get to raise Nancy, or they try to run away but shit happens. I don't know lol.


End file.
